Pitbulls - Background and History

Pitbulls - Background and History

This is just a brief overview of the history of the 'breed'
Pitbulls, once a beloved breed known as the 'nanny dog,' is now one of the most reviled, despised and abused breed of dog in many segments of society. The name 'pitbull' is used to describe any of three main breeds, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier as well as any mix of these breeds. So 'pitbull' is not really even a breed, it's more of a tag given to a population of dogs that have a specific genetic makeup that includes any of the three main breeds or even any dog that displays certain qualities and characteristics but which may not even contain any genetic relation to the three breeds.

The pitbull type dog originated on England and through specific breeding of bull dogs and terriers, the pitbull was born. And yes, the pitbull was originally bred as a fighting or "baiting" dog.

In England these 'baiting' dogs were used to control and dominate bulls. Eventually the owners of these dogs, who wanted to show off their skills, created public displays in which the dogs were placed in a ring with a bull and by sheer tenacity and determination, overcame the much larger animal.

When it came to breeding, one of the main aspects was to get a strong tenacious dog with a even temperament that would be aggressive toward an animal adversary but completely non-aggressive toward humans.

Although bull baiting was eventually outlawed in England, people had developed a taste for the bloody sport and turned to pitting dog against dog.

When English immigrants emigrated to the US in the 19th century, along with then they brought the dog and the cruel sport and dogfighting was born in the US.

As time moved on though, these dogs, quickly known for their loyalty and intelligence, became much more than just fighting dogs. They became herding dogs, working dogs and companions.

They became, in short, a well beloved breed in the hearts of America. There are many famous and well known pitbulls and many famous and well known people have owned them.

Even today, pitbulls are police dogs, search dogs, therapy dogs, working dog and of course beloved companion dogs.

They have a long and wonderful and rich history but all of that has been eclipsed the myth and hype.

Sadly, there has always been that underground and not so underground of the pitbull as a vicious fighting dog and the cruel, the heartless, the irresponsible all help to feed that reputation as does the media today.

Now, this once beloved symbol of Americana is the target the BSL - Breed Specific Legislation all over the county as well as the world. They are also the most abused 'breed' of dog and they make up the largest 'breed' population in animal shelters succumbing to their death warrant more than any other breed of dog.

VIDEO~ Horse Owners Facing Terrifying Reality

Fox News Article:Horse Owners Facing Terrifying Reality
http://www.q13fox.com/pages/landing/?blockID=270883&feedID=144

Q13 FOX News
April 21, 2009
His nickname is 7, and lucky is exactly what he is - so is Sarah.
"Sarah's a horse we actually pulled off the truck," says Monica Stephens of Natural Horse Savvy in Snohomish. She and Kalisa Jenne-Fraser are grateful for that.

"People don't understand the risk when they send their horses to auction. They don't understand the reality when they get on the truck. There's still a market for horse meat unfortunately," says Jenne-Fraser.

Every year, tens of thousands of horses are sold at auction, then driven to Canada or Mexico, where they're violently slaughtered.

" The U.S. is one of the few countries that doesn't eat (horse) meat, but I don't think it's our responsibility to feed other countries with our pets," says Jenne-Fraser.

But it is happening, especially during these tough economic times.

"We're talking about having to decide between feeding your family or feeding your beloved equine companion. No one should have to face this," says LynnD Stiles of the Phoenix Rising Horse Sanctuary.

She and Stephens say they'd buy every horse at auction if they could

"How do you go there and see these horses with so much potential and I don't have the space to bring 100 horses home," says Stephens.

But the reality is, practically every horse rescue is full right now. There's no room and owners are being forced to make a painful decision, one way or another.

Katie Merwick of the Second Chance Ranch in Elma says, "People are letting their horses starve in a field because they don't want it to go to slaughter. They just watch it starve. "


But Merwick says that solution isn't much better.

"If the choice is slaughter or euthanasia, they should be put down humanely. "

The problem with euthanasia, the final $600 tab is too expensive for those who are already struggling. So now a group in Northern California is setting up free euthanasia centers. Stiles hopes to see something like that pop up here.

"Good for them. They've listened. It's a kind solution, bless their hearts. "

"I always think it's a noble gift you give your horse, when you can give them a humane good-bye." says Jenne-Fraser.

But as long as these horse-rescue owners can help it, they'll continue to welcome these animals onto their ranches and into their hearts.

"They're fabulous just wonderful animals. I look out and think you wouldn't be here," says Stiles.

Horse rescue owners say one of the ways you can keep these horses off of the slaughter trucks, is by fostering or adopting one of these animals. Many of these horses are former racers, competitors, and thoroughbreds.
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Carl Sagan - Pale Blue Dot

Words of Wisdom. Please Pass This On
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Criminals Plan to Slaughter 60 whales off the Coast of Japan

From: Captain Paul Watson


Criminals Plan to Slaughter 60 whales off the Coast of Japan

The Yakusa controlled Japanese whaling industry have unleashed their mad dog killers into the waters off their own Northeastern coast to viciously slaughter 60 Piked whales.


The proposed slaughter will be illegal and the killing is not endorsed or sanctioned by the International Whaling Commission.


Once again Japan is justifying the slaughter under the absurd excuse of “research.
”

The whalers are trying to compensate for losses caused by Sea Shepherd interventions in the Southern Ocean in December 2008 and January and February 2009.


The Japanese Fisheries Agency reported to the media that the environmentalist group the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society made it impossible for the whaling vessels to operate on 16 days of the 100-day whale hunt.


The six ships caught 679 minke and one fin whale on the mission, the agency said. That was well below its planned haul of between 765 and 935 of the giant mammals.


The whalers need to kill at least 765 whales to break even. As a result they suffered losses of tens of millions of dollars.



The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin and her crew chased and shut down the whaling operations for more than five weeks Japan claims 16 days but that would mean that they would have fallen only 128 whales short of their set quota based on an average kill of 8 whales per day. The whalers failed to reach their set quota by 305 which means that Sea Shepherd prevented whaling activities for 38 days which validates the Sea Shepherd claim that whaling was shut down for five and a half weeks – not 16 days as Japan claims.


Four whaling ships and one designated “research”vessel will set sail soon from Ayukawa port in northern Miyagi prefecture and hunt whales within 80 kilometres (50 miles) off the coast until late May, the official said.


Japan wants to launch the new whaling mission ahead of the International Whaling Commission's annual general meeting in June in Madeira, Portugal. The IWC will not have an opportunity to censure these illegal whaling activities until after the whales are killed Japan is gamboling that the member nations will do little more than make a noisy fuss about the violations of IWC regulations. The Japanese have learned that the IWC is just a paper shark, all talk and no action.